diff --git a/.cursor/rules/global.mdc b/.cursor/rules/global.mdc
index faee8ef68..9a2e8ed68 100644
--- a/.cursor/rules/global.mdc
+++ b/.cursor/rules/global.mdc
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@ description:
 globs: 
 alwaysApply: true
 ---
-# CLAUDE.md
-
-This file provides guidance to Claude Code when working with code in this monorepo.
-
-**Note**: Many packages and apps have their own CLAUDE.md files with specific implementation details and patterns. Always check for a local CLAUDE.md when working in a specific directory.
-
 ## Monorepo Structure
 
 This is a pnpm-based monorepo using Turborepo with the following structure:
@@ -54,6 +48,58 @@ When writing code, follow this workflow to ensure code quality:
 - Keep business logic separate from infrastructure concerns
 - Use proper error handling at each level
 
+## Environment Variables
+
+This project uses a centralized environment variable system:
+
+1. **All environment variables are defined at the root level** in a single `.env` file
+2. **Turbo passes these variables** to all packages via the `globalEnv` configuration in `turbo.json`
+3. **Individual packages validate** their required environment variables using the shared `@buster/env-utils` package
+
+### Setting Up Environment Variables
+
+1. Copy `.env.example` to `.env` at the project root:
+   ```bash
+   cp .env.example .env
+   ```
+
+2. Fill in the required values in `.env`
+
+3. All packages will automatically have access to these variables through Turbo
+
+### Adding New Environment Variables
+
+When adding new environment variables:
+
+1. Add the variable to `.env.example` with a descriptive comment
+2. Add the variable name to the `globalEnv` array in `turbo.json`
+3. Update the package's `validate-env.js` script to include the new variable
+4. Update the package's `env.d.ts` file with the TypeScript type definition
+
+### Migrating Packages to Centralized Env
+
+To migrate an existing package to use the centralized environment system:
+
+1. Remove any local `.env` files from the package
+2. Add `@buster/env-utils` as a dependency:
+   ```json
+   "@buster/env-utils": "workspace:*"
+   ```
+3. Update the package's `scripts/validate-env.js` to use the shared utilities:
+   ```javascript
+   import { loadRootEnv, validateEnv } from '@buster/env-utils';
+   
+   loadRootEnv();
+   
+   const requiredEnv = {
+     DATABASE_URL: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
+     // ... other required variables
+   };
+   
+   const { hasErrors } = validateEnv(requiredEnv);
+   if (hasErrors) process.exit(1);
+   ```
+
 ### 3. Ensure Type Safety
 ```bash
 # Build entire monorepo to check types
@@ -202,18 +248,23 @@ export async function getWorkspaceSettingsHandler(
 
 ## Database Operations
 
+### Query Organization
+- **All database queries must be created as helper functions** in `@packages/database/src/queries/`
+- **Organize by table** - Each table should have its own subdirectory (e.g., `assets/`, `chats/`, `users/`)
+- **Type all queries** - Every query function must have properly typed parameters and return types
+- **Export from index** - Each subdirectory should have an `index.ts` that exports all queries for that table
+- **Reusable and composable** - Write queries as small, focused functions that can be composed together
+
 ### Soft Delete and Upsert Practices
 - In our database, we never hard delete, we always use soft deletes with the `deleted_at` field
 - For update operations, we should almost always perform an upsert unless otherwise specified
-```
 
-**Test Running Guidelines**:
+## Test Running Guidelines
 - When running tests, use the following Turbo commands:
   - `turbo test:unit` for unit tests
   - `turbo test:integration` for integration tests
   - `turbo test` for running all tests
-# important-instruction-reminders
-Do what has been asked; nothing more, nothing less.
-NEVER create files unless they're absolutely necessary for achieving your goal.
-ALWAYS prefer editing an existing file to creating a new one.
-NEVER proactively create documentation files (*.md) or README files. Only create documentation files if explicitly requested by the User.
\ No newline at end of file
+
+## Pre-Completion Workflow
+- Always run `turbo test:unit, lint, and build:dry-run` before making any pull request or finishing a feature, bugfix, etc. to ensure things make it through CI/CD
+- You can run all these checks simultaneously with `turbo build:dry-run lint test:unit`
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 733d13c76..42cb7ebbe 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -259,10 +259,13 @@ export async function getWorkspaceSettingsHandler(
 ### Soft Delete and Upsert Practices
 - In our database, we never hard delete, we always use soft deletes with the `deleted_at` field
 - For update operations, we should almost always perform an upsert unless otherwise specified
-```
 
-**Test Running Guidelines**:
+## Test Running Guidelines
 - When running tests, use the following Turbo commands:
   - `turbo test:unit` for unit tests
   - `turbo test:integration` for integration tests
-  - `turbo test` for running all tests
\ No newline at end of file
+  - `turbo test` for running all tests
+
+## Pre-Completion Workflow
+- Always run `turbo test:unit, lint, and build:dry-run` before making any pull request or finishing a feature, bugfix, etc. to ensure things make it through CI/CD
+- You can run all these checks simultaneously with `turbo build:dry-run lint test:unit`
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/server/package.json b/apps/server/package.json
index ba234b72c..1a536de44 100644
--- a/apps/server/package.json
+++ b/apps/server/package.json
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts && pnpm run typecheck",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || (tsx scripts/validate-env.ts && pnpm run typecheck)",
     "build": "tsup",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsup",
     "dev": "bun --watch src/index.ts",
     "dev:build": "tsup --watch",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
diff --git a/apps/trigger/package.json b/apps/trigger/package.json
index a4ef5871b..02758885c 100644
--- a/apps/trigger/package.json
+++ b/apps/trigger/package.json
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "echo 'y' | npx trigger.dev@v4-beta dev",
     "deploy": "echo 'y' | npx trigger.dev@v4-beta deploy",
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "echo 'No build step required but we run it to make sure env is loaded' && tsc --noEmit",
+    "build:dry-run": "echo 'No build step required but we run it to make sure env is loaded' && tsc --noEmit",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
     "test": "vitest run",
     "test:watch": "vitest watch",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d01a37646..110c3bafd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "ai:dev": "pnpm --filter @buster/ai dev",
     "build": "turbo build",
+    "build:dry-run": "SKIP_ENV_CHECK=true turbo run build:dry-run",
     "check": "biome check ${1:-.}",
     "check:fix": "biome check --write ${1:-.}",
     "ci:check": "pnpm run check && pnpm run typecheck",
diff --git a/packages/access-controls/package.json b/packages/access-controls/package.json
index 35ba227fd..d5a90c85c 100644
--- a/packages/access-controls/package.json
+++ b/packages/access-controls/package.json
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "build:commonjs": "tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node",
     "build:commonjs:watch": "npm run build:commonjs && tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node --watch",
     "dev": "tsc --watch",
diff --git a/packages/ai/package.json b/packages/ai/package.json
index 2668d3d9d..23df39137 100644
--- a/packages/ai/package.json
+++ b/packages/ai/package.json
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "dev": "tsc --watch",
     "dev:mastra": "mastra dev --dir src",
diff --git a/packages/data-source/package.json b/packages/data-source/package.json
index 8f04f4c7b..045063803 100644
--- a/packages/data-source/package.json
+++ b/packages/data-source/package.json
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "build:commonjs": "tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node",
     "build:commonjs:watch": "npm run build:commonjs && tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node --watch",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
diff --git a/packages/database/package.json b/packages/database/package.json
index 14d030ddf..cf986be6f 100644
--- a/packages/database/package.json
+++ b/packages/database/package.json
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "build:commonjs": "tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node",
     "build:commonjs:watch": "npm run build:commonjs && tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node --watch",
     "db:check": "drizzle-kit check",
diff --git a/packages/rerank/package.json b/packages/rerank/package.json
index f172efa26..ffc2ce76d 100644
--- a/packages/rerank/package.json
+++ b/packages/rerank/package.json
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "test": "vitest run",
     "test:unit": "vitest run --exclude '**/*.int.test.ts' --exclude '**/*.integration.test.ts' --passWithNoTests",
diff --git a/packages/sandbox/package.json b/packages/sandbox/package.json
index 7ce8d1682..8a6b4058d 100644
--- a/packages/sandbox/package.json
+++ b/packages/sandbox/package.json
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "dev": "tsc --watch",
     "lint": "biome check",
diff --git a/packages/slack/package.json b/packages/slack/package.json
index eb8ffa49b..f936f419d 100644
--- a/packages/slack/package.json
+++ b/packages/slack/package.json
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "dev": "tsc --watch",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
diff --git a/packages/stored-values/package.json b/packages/stored-values/package.json
index 9cc692b68..64e61543b 100644
--- a/packages/stored-values/package.json
+++ b/packages/stored-values/package.json
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "build:commonjs": "tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node",
     "build:commonjs:watch": "npm run build:commonjs && tsc --module commonjs --moduleResolution node --watch",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
diff --git a/packages/test-utils/package.json b/packages/test-utils/package.json
index a24ffaeb6..8bfcfc3eb 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/package.json
+++ b/packages/test-utils/package.json
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
     }
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "prebuild": "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+    "prebuild": "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
     "build": "tsc",
+    "build:dry-run": "tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "lint": "biome check --write",
     "test": "vitest run",
diff --git a/scripts/new-package.ts b/scripts/new-package.ts
index 4ad741fd9..c50d75580 100755
--- a/scripts/new-package.ts
+++ b/scripts/new-package.ts
@@ -372,12 +372,15 @@ async function createPackageFiles(config: PackageConfig) {
       },
     },
     scripts: {
-      prebuild: "tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
+      prebuild: "[ \"$SKIP_ENV_CHECK\" = \"true\" ] || tsx scripts/validate-env.ts",
       build: "tsc",
+      "build:dry-run": "tsc",
       typecheck: "tsc --noEmit",
       dev: "tsc --watch",
       lint: "biome check --write",
       test: "vitest run",
+      "test:unit": "vitest run --exclude '**/*.int.test.ts' --exclude '**/*.integration.test.ts' --passWithNoTests",
+      "test:integration": "vitest run **/*.int.test.ts **/*.integration.test.ts",
       "test:watch": "vitest watch",
       "test:coverage": "vitest run --coverage",
     },
diff --git a/scripts/prebuild.sh b/scripts/prebuild.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f1893db9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/prebuild.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Skip env validation if SKIP_ENV_CHECK is set
+if [ "$SKIP_ENV_CHECK" = "true" ]; then
+  echo "Skipping environment validation (dry-run build)"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Otherwise run the validation script
+tsx scripts/validate-env.ts
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/turbo.json b/turbo.json
index a798a5e35..cb75e38b8 100644
--- a/turbo.json
+++ b/turbo.json
@@ -7,13 +7,18 @@
       "dependsOn": ["^build"],
       "outputs": ["dist/**", ".next/**"]
     },
+    "build:dry-run": {
+      "dependsOn": ["^build:dry-run"],
+      "outputs": ["dist/**", ".next/**"],
+      "env": ["SKIP_ENV_CHECK"]
+    },
     "dev": {
       "cache": false,
       "persistent": true,
       "dependsOn": ["@buster/database#dev"]
     },
     "lint": {
-      "dependsOn": ["^build", "^lint"]
+      "dependsOn": ["^lint"]
     },
     "typecheck": {
       "dependsOn": ["^build"]
@@ -22,7 +27,7 @@
       "dependsOn": ["^build"]
     },
     "test:unit": {
-      "dependsOn": ["^build"]
+      "dependsOn": ["^test:unit"]
     },
     "test:integration": {
       "dependsOn": ["^build"]